Improvement in building-blocks



v 3Sheets--Sheet1. T. B. RHODES. Building-Blocks.

N0.\ ,678. PatentedAprl14,1874. j.

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T. B. BHO DES. BuildingBjlocks- Patented April 14,1874.

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T. B. RHODES. Building-Blocks.

vPatented Apri'|14,1's74.

THOMAS B. RHODES,

PATENT f Frio.

OF LEETONIA, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUILDING-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

. March 'To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. RHODES, ot' Leetonia,y in' the county of Columbiana and Sta-te of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Building-Block, of which the following is a specification: Y

The inventionrelates to an improved buildin g-block formed of concrete or other material, which in its plastic condition Vmay be molded into the required form, and will become sufficiently hard4 and durable for making permanent fire-proof walls or structures. The novel features of the :invention are clearly indicated in the claims.

Figure 1 is a top view of a corner-block. Figs. 2 and 3 are top views ot intermediate blocks. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a baseblock. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a block to join on the top of the base-block. Fig. 6 is a top 'view ot' a block having enlarged vertical passage for a chimney or Ventilating flue. Fig. 7 is a top View of a block, showing modifications in the forms of the locking-grooves in the ends. Fig. 8 is a top view-of a block having a connectionfor joining on a partition-wall. Fig. 9 is a top view of a block with connections for a partition-wall on each Side of it. Figs. 10 and ll are end elevations of blocks. Figs.'12 and y13 are sectionsof blocks for, tlues or chimneys, showing a mode of male ing tight joints between the blocks. Figs. 14 to 17, inclusive, are elevations of blocks, show- `ing the way they go together in the wall, with slight modifications in the locking-tongues and grooves. Figs. 19 and 2O are end views of blocks, showing the arrangement for matching the blocks where the walls .change from one thickness to another. Fig. 2l is an end relevation of a block, showing theapplication of brackets molded on the sides for supporting joists and forming eaves-troughs and the like. Fig. 22 represents some of the rooiingblocks in edge view, and Fig. 23 represents these in end view.V

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.l i

a represents hollow spaces, extending through the blocks from bottom to top, to make hollow walls. b represents the parts by which the two sides of the blocks are connected. In some blocks these'are arranged 149,678, dated April 14,1874; application mea 29, 1873.

sufciently distant from the ends to form grooves 'O therein, in which tongues d on other blocks will fitto lock the blocks firmly together. A groove may be formed in one end of a block and a tongue in the other. These grooves and tongues may be in dovetail form, as at al, or {ive-sided, as at a2, Fig. 7. The parts b will, in some cases, extend to the top of the blocks, and in others not, as shown at e, Figs. 10 and 11, and in such cases bind ers may be used to lock the blocks together by placing them on the upper ends of said parts, so that the adjacent parts of the two blocks to be locked together are received between the parts of the binders. I also propose to deepen and otherwise form the grooves, both horizontally and vertically, so as to use long binders of wood or iron, ext-ending from end to end ot' a wall at the top, or from bottom to top, or from the bottom to the top of an opening left in the wall for a door or win` dow. The said parts b may extend below the bottom of the block, as in Fig. 10, at z', and enter the space e at the upper end of the block below. The block represented in Fig. 1l shows a wide groove, j, in'the bottoni, which I prefer for the upper tier of blocks, to be fitted on a corresponding wide tongue on the top of the next block below, and at 7s it has a projecting bracket formed O11 the side for the support of the joists, but, it' preferred, holes may be made inthe side ot' the blocks and the jOists fitted in them. l, Fig. 6, shows a large vertical. opening through the block, instead of the ordinary one, to form a- -ilue for smoke or ventilation. m represents projections on the sides of blocks, to make connections withpartition-walls. .The chimney or flue-blocks may join each other at top and bottom by the tenoned end n of one fitting in the socketed end vo'of the other, as shown in the se'ctionalgures, l2 and 13, to make tight joints. I also propose to arrange the Openings in the top blocks so that hot air admitted to them may circulate throughout thev spaces in all outside walls, and in partitions, it' preferred, for heating the rooms, and connect s'aid spaces with furnaces or other heating apparatus for the introduction of heat; andIwill have suitable exhaust-passages to allow the air to escape after it has parted with its heat. The

thick base sections, Figs. 4 and 5, will be locked by a wide groove, j, in one, and a wide tongue, p, on the other, in the same manner that the upper tiers are joined. The baseblocks may have a base-rib, q, on the outside,

and a mop-board rib, r, ou the inside.

In Figs. 19 and 20, the groovesC in the ends of the blocks are crooked so as to match blocks of dierent thickness, to diminish the thickness of the walls at the floors of high buildings. The groove ein the top ofthe block is brought as much nearerhthe outside e1 of the wall as is necessary for receiving the tongue e2 of the block of the next tier above, so that its outside, e1, will be flush with the outside of the block below while its tongue is in the middle.

In Fig. 2l, the upper-tier block is represented with a tongue, i, for locking with the groove of the tier below, a joist-bracket, andi a grooved projection, t, on the outside for an eaves-trough.

In some cases, I will have the meeting ends of the blocks grooved, as at U, to form holes, when joined together, to iill with cement to unite them and make the joints water and air tight.

By molding these blocks they can be readily and cheaply made, in any approved form and size, both-plain and ornamental, and thus afford desirable building material for'lessv cost than bricks or wood.

I proloseito construct these' in several different standard sizes and thicknesses to correspond .with the different stories of the build-Y ing, and designate them by classes, so that by the class the size and thickness will. be known. Y

Holes may be'formed in the blocks when molded, to make continuous passages, where the blocks are joined, for conducting water from the eaves-trough to the ground; also for speaking-tubes, and-the like.v

In laying up a wall with these blocks, I propose to inclose each'layer temporarily in a casing of wood, and pour in hot cement to flow into the interstices and till them up and unite the blocks.

The roof-blocks, which I also propose to makeof this material, according to the same general plan, with tongues and grooves to match them together, as shown at dc, Fig. 23, and hollow spaces, will have a recess, p, in the under side of the lower end, Vto .lap over the upper end q of the `next block below, which will be made suflcientlythinnerl in the upper portion than in the'portion below to it under the lower end and matchwith the recess, as shown.

A better elevation, r, will be formed on the under portion, and a corresponding rib, s, on the upper portion, to prevent the water from setting back in the joint. The ridge-block of one side will overlap the beveled upper end of the one on the other side, as shown at t, and will have a lip, U, at the upper end, fitting on the side of the other rid ge-block, to pre# vent back-flow. On the under side of these blocks will be lugs or ribs V W, to be let into the rafters or sheathing, if any is used, to hold the blocks on the roof. The tongues and grooves will be formed, on the broken dotted lines represented in Fig. 22, to correspond with the form in which theyare necessarily made for lapping each other, and said tongues and grooves will be formed in cross-section, as represented in Fig. 23-that is to say, so that the upper side of the tongue forms a little gutter through which the Water that may iindits way down the joint thereto will escape down to the eaves, and thus be prevented from leaking through the roof. j X represents the hollow spaces of these blocks, which will extend from near the lower ends to the point in the upper part, where they beginto taper down to be overlapped by the block above.

I propose to make these blocks considerably thinner in the middle of the upper side than at the edges, as shownin the end View, Fig. 23, as another means of economizing materal.

Y represents a rib, which will be formed on the end tier of the roof-blocks to overlap the ends of the roof. r

Havin g thus described my invention, I claim as new-and desire to secure by Letters Patentl `l. The blocks having partition-connections m, substantially as specitied.

2. The said blocks having joist and eavestrough brackets k t, substantially as speciied.

3. The said blocks having the end grooves and tongues crooked to match the tiers of different thickness, substantially as specified.

4. The base-blocks having base-ribs q and mop-board rib r, substantially as specified.

5. The arrangement of the lap-joints p q r s of the roof-blocks, substantially as specified.

6. TheA arrangement of the ridge-joint tu,

substantially as specified.

7. The arrangement of the tongues d of the roof-blocks for carrying oft' the water, sub- VVi'tnesses:

WM. H. WALTER, J. M. Mownnv. 

